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Ewe are parted by death ?....

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June 13 · —

Bl. Gerard

Bl. Gerard

Ewe are parted by death ?....

Traditional feast

June 13
1914 / pre-1969 calendar, per Baring-Gould (1897)

Current feast

Not verified yet

Represents

Feast

Early life

The book says little or nothing about early life. This is how the account begins.

Ewe are parted by death ?.... On every occasion I look for Gerard, as I have been wont, and he is not here. Alas I I groan in my heaviness.

What they represent

How they teach us to live

Drawn from themes in the original account

Keep their day. Remember them on June 13 with a short prayer, and ask for their help.

Read more

The full original · 322 words

Read Baring-Gould’s full account

Baring-Gould’s sources: Galilean Martyrologies. Authority A life written by Conrad of Eberbach, monk of Clairvaux, about the year xx8o; also the letters of S. Bernard.] The Blessed Gerard, cellarer of Clairvaux, was the second brother of S. Bernard. The future abbot of Clairvaux endeavoured to persuade him to follow him into solitude, but Gerard refused. “I know," said Bernard, “that adversity alone will open thine understanding to the truth. The day will come and draws nigh when that side of thine will be pierced, and the wound will open a way to grace to enter thine heart, and lead thee to follow me." Not long after, Gerard was wounded at the siege of Grancey, and taken prisoner. Thinking that he would not live, he sent for Bernard, but Bernard would not go to him, saying, “The wound is not mortal, nay rather it will bring him to life." Gerard recovered, and escaping from prison, placed himself under his brother’s direction. S. Bernard was preaching on the Canticles when his brother died. He broke off suddenly, and in the pathetic 20th sermon poured forth the grief that consumed his heart, “My sons, be well assured my grief is just, my wound is to be pitied. Ye see how my faithful comrade has deserted me in the way we were treading together. How watchful, how diligent, how sweet he was ! Who is more necessary to me ? to whom was I dearer ? A brother by blood, he was more than a brother in religion. I was infirm in body, and he held me up; feeble-hearted, and he cheered me; slothful, and he stimulated me; forgetful, and he reminded me. How hast thou been tom from me, from my hands, man of one mind with me, man after my own heart ? We loved each other in life, how is it that [Jane xj.

Ewe are parted by death ?.... On every occasion I look for Gerard, as I have been wont, and he is not here. Alas I I groan in my heaviness. I am wretched, a man without his helper. Whom shall I consult in doubt? Whom shall I lean on in adversity? Who will bear my burdens? Did not Gerard's eyes prevent my every step ?.... I mourn over thee, dearest Gerard, not because thou art to be pitied, but because thou art taken away; and therefore I ought perhaps to mourn rather over myselfj because I have to drink the cup of bitterness. O death where is thy victory? O grave where is thy sting? Gerard feared thee not, thou masked phantom. Gerard will pass through thy jaws into his own country, not safe only, but joyous and jubilant I mourn for my own loss, and that of this house. I mourn for the necessities of the poor, to whom Gerard was a father. I mourn for our whole order, which derived no little strength from thy zeal, counsel, and example, Gerard ! I mourn — no not over thee, but for thee, for I love thee very dearly." The historian goes on to describe the peaceful death of Gerard; how on the night in which he died, he began in his bed to sing with exultant voice and serene countenance the psalm, “O praise the Lord of heaven, praise him in the height," Ps. cxlviiL How having finished the psalm, Gerard looking up to heaven, said, “ Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit 1" and then repeated the words “ Father, Father," and turned his bright face to Bernard and said, u How great is the condescension of ' God to be called the Father of men ! How great the glory of men to become the sons of God, and heirs of God 1" and so fell asleep.

Feast days

Feast: June 13

Nine days · Free

Pray the novena
with us.

One short email a day for nine days. The day's prayer, a line from Bl. Gerard's story, and a nudge to keep going.

Also on June 13
St. Felicula

St. Felicula

June 13 · Virgin, Martyr
St. Aquilina

St. Aquilina

June 13 · Virgin, Martyr
R

St. Ragnbert

June 13 · Martyr
← All 1726 saints in the library
Sources & notes

Feast-day sources

Sources

Credits

From Sabine Baring-Gould, The Lives of the Saints, new edition in 16 vols. (London: John C. Nimmo, 1897–98); text from the Internet Archive scan (OCR, lightly cleaned; errors possible). Public domain.

From Sabine Baring-Gould, The Lives of the Saints, new edition in 16 vols. (London: John C. Nimmo, 1897–98); text from the Internet Archive scan (OCR, lightly cleaned; errors possible). Public domain in the United States. Reproduced unedited, except for short bracketed notes in grey that we added to explain names and terms (“S.” is the old abbreviation for Saint). Some history and judgments reflect 19th-century scholarship.